ISLAMABAD - Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Marryum Aurangzeb, talking to the media representatives after visiting the Pemra Council of Complaints Monday said that Imran Khan needed to reveal to whom he sold his Senate vote and on whose orders he did not turn up to cast his vote.

The minister said he (Imran) must be asked as to how Chaudhry Sarwar mustered 44 votes and who cast their votes for him. The answer to that question must be provided to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also, she added.

Replying to a question, she said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) were on one page regarding misgivings about the Senate elections. The statement by Siraj-ul-Haq had endorsed the PML-N apprehensions and Imran by announcing the names of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MPAs had also reinforced them, she added.

Marriyum said that Punjab had taken the lead in raising the voice that the rotten eggs, who sold their votes, had no place in the democratic parties and then the other parties started following the PML-N.

Answering another question, the minister said that it was the prerogative of the prime minister and the Leader of the Opposition (in National Assembly) to propose the name of caretaker prime minister through consensus whereas installing the caretaker set up was the responsibility of the parliament. The decision in regard to the interim prime minister should be made as soon as possible to put at rest the prevalent misgivings and paving the way for the preparations for the next elections, she added.

The minister said that as per law and the constitution the budget for the next financial year would be presented by the present government. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (PK) government, she added, was opposing this initiative to hide its own blemish and incompetency. How could a government, which made plans only to the extent of feasibility reports, spend the allocated funds or make the next budget, she asked.

Responding to another question she said that it was the right of the people of KP to ask the government about the reasons for not presenting the budget for next year.

The minister revealed that the information ministry was also engaged in the re-organization of its some departments and introducing reforms in them.

Marriyum replying to a question said that a summary for the appointment of the head of Lok Virsa had also been submitted and it was the endeavour of the ministry to fill the vacant posts in the departments under it within the current week.

Marriyum said the return of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz from London leaving seriously ill Begum Kulsoom Nawaz to attend the National Accountability Court (NAB) proceedings has nullified hopes of the opposition.

The minister said whenever Nawaz Sharif goes abroad the opponents of PML-N feel happy and express the view that he would never return.

She pointed out that the case file of one darling, who had broken all records of corruption, had gone missing from the NAB office while exemption had been granted to the other darling Imran time and again, who was facing a case of terrorism and attack on the parliament and the PTV headquarters.

On the contrary, she said, former prime minister and his daughter, who appear daily in the court even twice a day, have been denied exemption to attend Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, admitted in a London hospital.